


Dangerous Oaths

by abele



Category: DmC: Devil May Cry
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-18 16:32:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21896881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abele/pseuds/abele
Summary: Now that Dante's found Vergil again, he's not going to lose him to anyone. It's time Vergil realized that.
Relationships: Dante/Vergil (DmC)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 65





	Dangerous Oaths

**Author's Note:**

> So honestly I think there’s such an interesting dynamic change in the Reboot DmC between Dante and Vergil. It’s curious how similar their initial traits are with their DMC counterparts and yet how different they are at the same time. Dante is rougher, Vergil is softer and yet both still very much fall along their usual party lines. I like it, and I'm actually really enjoying the game. I'm sad I've only ever heard terrible things about it before now.

One thing that Dante has never admitted to either of them, is that Kat was wrong when she’d first reached out to him. He remembers her banging on the door, her voice frantically telling him that he’s been careless and that now the demons have found him. He’s never confessed that her whole perception of that event was wrong, Dante hadn’t been careless. Just the opposite in fact. He’d known very well what he was doing when he walked into that club, causing a scene with the strippers and the beer bottles thrown at invisible specters. He’d bought a fucking taxi, an actual fucking _taxi_. He’d made a scene at the neighboring carnival with the girls and he’d basically put a neon fucking sign over his trailer saying: DANTE LIVES HERE!!!

Honestly, how could Kat not realize that Dante had willingly signed his death warrant? How could Vergil not realize it.

There is the entirely horrifying possibility that Vergil does, in fact, know exactly what Dante had been up to. Maybe that’s why he’d sent Kat out that morning to collect him. Maybe he’d worked it out that if he didn’t reach out that day, there wouldn’t be another to try. Maybe Vergil had figured out that the hollowness inside of Dante had finally rotted so much that he’d finally hit the point where he was doing playing hide and seek with those demon fuckers. Maybe he’d figured out that Dante had wanted to be found, wanted something, anything, more than his repetitive life of fucking and fighting and running for no _reason_. Just emptiness, never-ending and always repeating emptiness.

He’d never confessed that at the time he’d wished that the hunter demon had been as fearsome as Kat had believed it was. That it could have actually stood a chance to win and to put Dante out of his misery; because Kat had been barking up the wrong tree. He didn’t care about jack shit that she said because he’d been tired and hollow. An empty feeling that had grown inside of him day after day, year after year until nothing had remained but sharp edges constantly filleting him alive. He hadn’t given a damn about their cause or about humans being corralled by demons like lobsters in a fish tank. Honestly, he still didn’t care about their fucking ‘save the humans’ cause. It was bullshit, what had the humans ever done for them? No, there was one reason Dante was here and one reason only: Vergil.

For Vergil, he’d storm hell itself.

He hadn’t known the importance of the man, or how vital he’d become to Dante’s entire _existence_ , when they first met. Hell, Dante had fallen asleep in the car during Kat’s first attempt at her great recruitment speech. He also remembers the complete lack of awe that he’d had upon reaching the Order’s headquarters. Sure, it was high tech and it looked like something out of a rogue hacker movie, but he’d figured that he was really only going to stick around long enough to bang the psychic chick and maybe steal a bagel or two.

He’d tried to explain to Kat once how meeting Vergil had been like a compass that had finally started pointing north after so many years of just spinning around in useless circles. He does remember how his first thought had been to scoff at the theatrics. Here was this guy, hidden in the shadows with a sword in his hands being used like a cane. He’d been too annoyed at the time to really care about what Vergil was trying to tell him. Total amnesia at the same age? He should have caught on to what Vergil was trying to gently allude to, but he hadn’t cared. He’s glad that he allowed Vergil to talk him into that little field trip though, and he even remembers how he spent the entire car ride obnoxiously flirting with Kat while simultaneously shamelessly checking Vergil out the whole time. Granted, he hadn’t known that was his brother yet, Sparda’s spell had still been going strong.

He’d never realized just how much Sparda had taken from them when he took their memories away and separated them that day. Not until he got them back. He’d never realized how long he’d just barely existed in a world that didn’t fit him. A world that chafed him and that felt wrong with his every breath. It wasn’t until the memories unlocked and he realized who was standing in front of him that he felt like he’d taken his first true breath in years. This was Vergil, this was his little brother. His northern star, his other half, his anchor – alive.

Half of him wants to find Sparda just to punch out his fucking teeth for taking Vergil from him. For separating them in a world that wanted them both dead. For taking away Dante’s reason and putting him out there in the world unprotected. Sparda should have left them together. The only thing that Dante feels like he can forgive about it is that Vergil’s life didn’t mirror his own. He’d been spared the streets. Taken in by a rich family and had never wanted for anything, never starved, never stole to survive and had never had to find himself in dingy bars trying to make anything inside of him feel something. For that, Dante wouldn’t kill the bastard if he saw him again. Not that Vergil thinks that’s possible.

Actually, Dante’s never asked Vergil about the time before he remembered. He’s never even asked him how he figured it all out when Dante had been completely oblivious to it. Vergil had always been the smarter one, there was never a doubt about that; but Dante finds himself wondering about it sometimes. He’s not sure he’ll ever ask though, and he thinks a small part of that is because he’s afraid. Afraid to hear that Vergil was as lonely as he was in his glass towers. He’s not sure how well he’d take it to learn that Vergil suffered the same rot before he’d come for him. He’s afraid that if he ever learned that, he’d be forced to try to demand some kind of retribution from the world and that might not end well for anyone involved so he figures it’s just best to avoid the topic and not think about it.

In fact, he should keep his attention on the task at hand. That’s what Vergil asked him to do after all.

Kat’s got every camera in the ballroom rigged to show up on their screens as Dante paces around back and forth, watching Vergil move from one group to another. It’s strange to see Vergil like this, his usually quiet brother dressed in a perfectly tailored ensemble that draws in the people at the party like moths to a flame. Vergil is as charismatic as he is beautiful, as charming as he is clever and as intelligent as he is powerful. It’s no wonder the humans and the demons alike crawl after him, their eyes tracking him with every move and every polite smile he gives. Dante can see why some rich family would snatch him up, he’s perfection. Where Dante’s rough edges, Vergil’s polished glass.

“I still don’t understand why I couldn’t be in there with you.” Dante mutters with an annoyed huff, pushing the ‘talk’ button and watching as Vergil glides from one group to another, inclining his head to various people and muttering quick first named greetings as he goes.

 _“You’re in hiding.”_ Vergil says softly over the mic. _“Coming in here would not be considered hiding.”_

“Please, just put me in a monkey suit and spray me with some hair spray and no one would know.” Dante replies as Kat snorts at the image.

“No offense Dante, I just can’t see you in a tux.”

“I’d look damned good in a tux if I ever wore one. Calvin fucking Klein would shit himself to dress me.” He pokes back and he can hear the softest of chuckles coming from the comm. “I could be poncy for a night. How fucking hard could it be? Just be like ‘oh yeah, the little guy? Fuck him am I right?’ or ‘then they told me they wanted to get paid _and_ get health care? What a laugh’.”

 _“It truly concerns me brother what passes for high society conversation in your mind.”_ Vergil’s voice has a layer of amusement in it now and Dante can’t help the grin that spreads on his face at it.

“Come on. You know all these fat fucks are thinkin it. What should I talk about then? Investment portfolios?”

 _“That you even know what an investment portfolio is, strangely impresses me.”_ Vergil says. _“I feel like I should be concerned about how surprised I am.”_

“Hey, set all the low bars. I like low bars. Love em actually.” Dante chuckles. “And just because I know what the words are doesn’t mean I’d know what one looked like if I tried.”

 _“That sounds more likely, the world has righted itself. I was concerned there for a moment.”_ Vergil teases back. He brings himself into another’s conversational group, accepting their greetings and their strange dual cheek air kisses. Vergil calls each one by name, asking something particular to them in an easy fashion making them all laugh and fawn over them. Dante’s not surprised in the slightest at their response, after all who wouldn’t want an angel to notice them personally?

 _He’s got a little devil in him too._ He reminds himself, but he’s never actually seen it. Vergil seems unlike him in so many ways, calm and cool. Rarely at the mercy of his emotions like Dante constantly is. If it were possible, Dante would think that they’re both one half entirely: Dante the devil, Vergil the angel. _You just haven’t seen it yet._ He wonders if he ever will, and he wonders what form it will take. Something collected and precise, anything else would be a mockery of the brother he’s come to know.

Vergil breaks off and Dante watches him move through the room. Is this seriously what life on the other side is like? Large ballrooms filled with pointless small talk?

“Maybe it’s good you didn’t bring me.” Dante says after a bit, hitting the button again. “I might’ve shot myself out of boredom.”

 _“That would have certainly livened things up.”_ Vergil agrees with a small chuckle. He greets another woman, doing the double kiss thing. Dante watches them talk. There might be history here, with how she keeps reaching out during their conversation and lightly touching Vergil’s arm as she speaks. How she leans in towards him and he gives her indulgent smiles. Dante hears her say something about how good Vergil’s looking tonight and he can’t help but huff and roll his eyes before he grins a bit and leans forward to talk into the mic.

“Oh, you think **I’m** pretty? You should see my brother. Now there’s a hunka hunka burnin love let me tell you.” Dante jokes in a mimicry of Vergil’s posh tones and Vergil huffs out a surprised yet amused sound and takes a quick drink from the glass in his hands to cover it up. It’s clear that the woman he’s with thinks that she’s just gotten the laugh out of him for whatever she’s said and Dante sends Kat a big grin. She looks like she’s fighting her own smile as she tries to remind him that they’re on security duty and that this isn’t the time for jokes.

He does eventually start to feel antsy, in a bored sort of way. There’s nothing happening, nothing worth mentioning at least. Just a whole bunch of people with a whole bunch of money talking about boring things while waiting around to write big checks to an organization that promises to help the poor children in some third world country who Dante knows will never actually see a dime of that money. Why does Vergil do this?

“What’s the point of it all?” Dante asks Kat. “Couldn’t he just send in a check and call it a night?”

“He could, but he has to be seen.” Kat replies, her eyes flicking over all of the screens. “Vergil’s not like us Dante. He can wear a mask, but he’ll never be truly invisible like we can be.” She types a few keystrokes. “We only have to play this game on one board. Vergil’s got to play it on several, simultaneously and he can’t slip up for a second, or we all fail.” Dante thinks about her words as he looks back at the screens. He hadn’t thought about it like that. Sure, he’d known that Vergil was rich and that he funded the Order somehow, but he’d never considered it much of a risk. “There’d be too many questions if Vergil just dropped out of sight. He’s young, he’s smart and he’s got too much of the pie that’s not controlled by Mundus. If he started acting weird or started shutting himself off, he’d either be suspected in Order activities or worse, they’d just kill him.”

“What?”

“They do it all the time Dante. They think Vergil is human, and humans only have as much power as Mundus is willing to let them have and he doesn’t like the fact that Vergil’s come in and taken some of it without permission. Vergil’s got the golden touch though. He makes money for himself sure, but he makes it for them as well. No one kills the golden goose while its still laying eggs. Vergil has to keep them thinking he’s still doing that at all times.”

“…shit.” Dante says, glancing at all of the people in the room. “How many of them are demons?”

“Most of them from what Vergil’s told me.” Kat admits. “He says the arm candy tends to be human.”

“For a late-night snack later.” Dante guesses and Kat nods. “Fuck. And Vergil just lets that happen?”

“What else is he supposed to do? If he shows that he knows anything about the demonic, he’ll blow his cover. Best scenario is that they just kill him; worse is that they figure out what and who he is and drag him to Mundus, and then he won’t be able to help anyone. He’s gotta bide his time just as much as you do Dante.” Dante lets that rest between them for a bit.

“How come they don’t sense him? If I get too close to a demon it tends to know somethings up.”

“He’s hidden himself with spells. All of us actually. He spends a lot of his energy maintaining them at all times.”

“All of us? What does that mean?”

“How do you think the Order gets around without anyone noticing? Vergil helps us out. I’ve been in the middle of the street talking to you in Limbo and people just keep walking by like they’re seeing nothing, that’s Vergil. Vergil’s magic at least. He protects us, as much as he can.” She looks at him. “That’s why you’re stronger. You’ve noticed it right?” He had. “Technically you should be equal in strength, but because he maintains the spells it tires him out. Weakens him.” Kat looks at the screens. “The bigger we get, the more he has to do. Sometimes, I wish he wouldn’t.”

“You’d rather he just let you all get caught?”

“All of us knew what we were signing onto when we took the job.” Kat says and there’s a fire there that Dante’s seen in every single Order member that he’s crossed. His brother apparently knows how to not only pick them, but also how to endear their loyalty. “I’m not saying that I think we should all just throw our lives away, I just wish…” She bites her lip. “I just wish he put the same value on his life as he seems to put on yours.” Kat falls silent for a bit after that revelation and Dante finds himself watching Vergil move through the cameras as he thinks about what she’s said. He zones for a bit, throwing a ball against the wall for a while, doing some pushups and other various activities to deal with the growing boredom but he notices immediately when something goes wrong. Kat’s entire demeanor shifts and she leans into the microphone, pushing the button.

“Heads up Vergil, he’s here.” She says before she types a few keys and Dante’s confused why she physically unplugs the microphone.

“What the fuck is going on?” Dante asks, coming back over. “What’d the fuck did you do that for?” He motions to the microphone.

“Vergil told me to. If this happened.” She reaches over and grabs one of her little spray cans and goes over to the door.

“How is a portal to Limbo gonna help?”

“This isn’t a portal to Limbo.” Kat says as she finishes it up before pulling out a small container. There’s a moment where Dante smells blood – _Vergil’s blood_ – before Kat smears it in the center and the spell takes effect. “It’s a lock.” Dante doesn’t miss how Vergil in the video seems to cringe in on himself when Kat does it for a brief second before righting himself.

“A lock?” Dante parrots. “What the fuck do you need a lock for?”

“Vergil wants to make sure that you stay here.” She says, rushing back over to her chair and typing a few things. It only takes another moment before Dante knows why Vergil would tell Kat to do this. Because walking across the ballroom right for his brother – is _Mundus_.

“Fuck no.” Dante snaps as he lunges for the microphone to tell Vergil to get the hell out of there before he remembers that Kat unplugged it. She gets to the cord before he does. “Give it to me.”

“If you try to talk to Vergil now, Mundus will hear you.” She warns. “You can’t.”

 _“Vergil, my boy.”_ Mundus’s voice comes over the speakers, smug and amused and dripping with false cordiality. It makes ice run down Dante’s spine. He remembers that voice. Laughing as he ripped their mother’s heart out. _“It’s been a while.”_ He holds out a hand for Vergil and the growl that builds up in Dante’s throat isn’t human in the slightest.

 _“Kyle, it sure has.”_ Vergil says in return as he reaches out easily and shakes the bastard’s hand with a pleased tone to his voice. Like he’s surprised but happy to see him. _“I was told that you weren’t going to be able to make an appearance this time. I’m pleased to see that isn’t the case.”_ Mundus laughs and Vergil just smiles at him like they’re the oldest of friends and Dante might kill someone right now if he doesn’t get in there now to get that bastard the hell away from his brother.

“Dante! Dante calm down!” Kat says, her voice shaking slightly as he makes his way to the door and she practically throws herself on his arm when he goes to raise it.

“Let me go.”

“If you break that seal, you’ll kill him.” She says urgently and it makes Dante freeze.

“Explain. _Now_.”

“It’s his power. If you try to break it, you’ll have to break through his will to do it. He won’t be able to keep up the façade in front of Mundus if you do. If he slips Dante, even for a second, then Mundus will realize who he is. He’ll take him or he’ll kill him. Either way it’s all over.” Dante drops his arm with a snarl as he storms back to the computer screens. Mundus has got an arm around Vergil’s shoulders and is laughing and gesturing wildly as he talks about some event that happened. Vergil looks thoroughly engaged in the retelling.

“Don’t worry Dante. He has this under control.” Kat tries to tell him and he doesn’t trust the rage flowing through his body right now to even look at her.

“Under control? That fuckface killed our parents.”

“Vergil’s used to dealing with him.” Kat says and her voice is trying to be soothing. “Let Vergil do this. You can’t blow his cover. Neither of you are ready to take Mundus on. He knows what he’s doing Dante. Your battleground is out there, his in in here. Trust him to get the job done like he trusts you to.” It’s a low blow and Dante has the strongest suspicion that Vergil might have coached Kat through what to say if this situation happened. He tries to take a deep breath, to calm the beast inside but all he can see is Mundus’s arm around Vergil and he sees him leading him somewhere and all Dante knows is that he’s going to rip Mundus’s arm off and _beat him to death_ with it if he doesn’t get it off of his brother right now.

 _“Miss Lilith, a pleasure as always.”_ Vergil says, having been guided to where Mundus’s current playmate has been waiting for them. He takes her hand and pretends to do a kiss to the back of it. _“You’re looking as radiant as ever.”_

 _“I’m told pregnancy does that to a woman.”_ Lilith replies. _“But aren’t you always just the sweetest thing. Why, I could just eat you up.”_

“Fuck no. I’ve gotta get in there. You have to release the spell.”

“I can’t do that.”

“He needs backup. I’ll stay out, but if something happens, he’s out there alone.”

“He’s got this, and besides. I can’t drop the spell even if I wanted to. Only Vergil can. We’re stuck in here until he lets us out.” She says and something about how assuredly she says it tells Dante she’s not lying. He growls as he looks back to the screens and he thinks he almost triggers a few times as he paces back and forth, watching the most important thing in the world to him and his greatest foe smile and laugh over champagne.

 _“I’m actually considering some new business ventures.”_ Vergil is saying. _“I wouldn’t be opposed to a second opinion on a few of them.”_

 _“You know you can trust me Vergil.”_ Mundus’s grin grows. _“I’ll make sure to have George set it up.”_

 _“George? Did Nathaniel quit?”_ Vergil asks and he sounds so legitimately sad to hear that news.

 _“No, there was an accident.”_ Mundus says and everything about it tells Dante that this fucker killed whoever this Nathaniel guy was. _“I’m afraid he didn’t make it.”_

_“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I was rather fond of him. He made a great cup of tea.”_

_“I’ll make sure that George learns how you like it before you come by.”_ Mundus assures him and Vergil just nods. _“It’s been good to see you my boy.”_

 _“You as well. I look forward to our next meeting.”_ Vergil says and he inclines to Lilith once more before he turns to Mundus – and Dante hears the crack of the keyboard under his hands as Mundus laughs and holds open his arms and Vergil lets him embrace him.

>><<

By the time the seal circle on the door glows and fades away, Dante has situated himself in the corner with his arms crossed, waiting in silence for the door to open. Kat’s been strangely quiet for a while, and when Vergil opens the door the first thing he sees is Dante. Dante can’t help but take in how Vergil’s no longer wearing the suit he was wearing earlier, having changed out of it into a soft looking long sleeve shirt and some jeans, their mother’s amulet hanging from his neck.

“Any hiccups Kat?” He asks, turning from Dante like he can’t _feel_ the rage pouring off of his twin and Kat shakes her head.

“Not really. We need some new equipment, but nothing hard to replace.” She says and Vergil approaches her, reaching up to tilt up her face gently to get her to look him in the eye. “I’m fine.” She says and he takes a moment before he nods.

“Go get some rest. I have need of you tomorrow.” Vergil tells her and she sighs before grabbing her sweater and leaving the room. There’s silence in her departure. “Don’t be cross with Kat brother. She actually argued for you to be informed of the possibility ahead of time.”

“The _possibility_.” Dante repeats and his voice is dark. Vergil seems to register that he’s playing with fire but he doesn’t change his course.

“Kyle Ryder, Mundus’s human form, is a very powerful figure as you well know.” Vergil says. “There is always the possibility of us crossing paths at any event where certain kinds of people gather.” Dante just hums and Vergil sighs. “Come along then. If we are to have it out, let us do it in a much more private location.” Dante just pushes off of the wall, so much coiled rage in his body movements. He follows Vergil out to the car, and sits in silence as his brother drives them down dark streets and into an unfamiliar parking garage at the end of it all. He follows him into the elevator, staring at him the entire time as they get up to the floor they’re heading to and then Vergil steps out into a giant open area. “I own the building.” Vergil tells him by way of explanation. “Welcome to my home, or one of them at the very least.”

“One?”

“I sleep more often than not at the Order’s headquarters. It feels strange sometimes to be back here.” Vergil says, turning towards him and crossing his own arms, leaning his back up against a wall. “I have a few others, leftovers from my adoptive parents. I haven’t been to them in a long while.” He inclines his head. “You are angry with me brother. Do speak your mind. You can do it freely here, no one will hear.”

“How do you know Mundus?”

“I told you, Kyle Ryder is an influential figure. Everyone who is anyone knows him.”

“That looked a lot more personal than just ‘brushing shoulders’ Vergil.” Dante growls as he takes a step towards the other. “Looked downright chummy.”

“It was.” Vergil replies. “As it must continue to be.” He sighs softly. “I understand your rage brother-”

“Do you? Do you understand Vergil? Because I don’t think you do.” Dante comes closer and puts his hands on the wall on either side of Vergil’s head. “If you did, you wouldn’t have locked me in that room.”

“Preparing for the eventuality that you might not have responded well to Mundus’s arrival at the event is my job Dante.” Vergil tells him, his tone not changing despite Dante’s close proximity and the overt threat in his actions. “I had a feeling that Mundus might arrive. I wanted to be sure that nothing went amiss during his visit.”

“You looked close. Laughed with him, joked with him, _hugged_ him.” Dante’s voice gets softer with each word, darkening as he leans closer inch by inch.

“Kyle Ryder was an old ‘friend’ of my adoptive parents.” Vergil tells him. “Or as much of a ‘friend’ as he is to any human he has killed.” That stops Dante up.

“What?”

“As such, our lives are unfortunately intertwined. It seems as though Mundus’s purpose in life is to continue to take those I care about from me while I survive.” Vergil continues. “You might have just remembered Mundus, Dante; but I have had to look him in the eye and smile for _years_. Place your rage on something else, I am uninterested in having it.”

“He killed your adoptive parents?” Dante asks, some of his rage from Vergil’s caging of him cooling. “Why?” Vergil sighs.

“My father was an extraordinary man.” Vergil says, his voice softening just the softest bit. “But he was greedy, as all humans tend to be and he made a move on more than Mundus was willing to permit him to have. Mundus got him addicted to the early phases of the newest Virility, before most of the kinks had been ironed out.”

“There was an earlier phase?”

“Yes. They had to figure out the best ratio for the general human populace. Enough to stimulate laziness, apathy and sloth but a Succubus’s power can also be used to create passion, lust and rage.” Vergil looks away from him, almost like he’s staring into the history of the dark house they’re in now. “It was like living with a stranger. Depressed one moment, full of fire the next. With each drink he became someone else. Eventually, the back and forth was too much for him. He took his own life along with my mother’s.”

“Shit Vergil.”

“Mundus came to the funeral. Actually had the gall to give the eulogy.” Vergil shakes his head. “Then the wealth passed to me, and I was forced to play whatever role kept me alive. Mundus likes to think of me as an amusing protégé, and I must maintain myself within the lines of that drawing for now.”

“How do you manage it?”

“With great difficulty brother.” Vergil admits with a soft twist of his lips. “I know what the end of this game might look like, and I am willing to do what must be done to ensure it.”

“Even if that means locking me away?” Dante demands and Vergil sighs.

“If you think what I did was anything more than protecting you, you deeply misunderstand me and my actions.”

“What about my need to protect you? Huh? What about that?” Dante demands. “I had to stand there and see the guy who tore out mom’s heart put his arms around you and I couldn’t do anything if he’d decided to snap your neck.”

“…you saw it?” Vergil asks and his voice is soft. “I didn’t…I didn’t know that you’d been there to see Eva’s death.”

“Yeah, I saw it.” Dante agrees before he lets his head lean forward and he places his forehead on Vergil’s chest. “I see it almost every night now. I hear her screaming and I can’t…I can’t _do_ anything.” He’s shaking. “Sometimes…sometimes I dream it’s you now. I dream he has your heart in his hands and I was powerless to stop it. Don’t…don’t make me powerless Vergil. Don’t do that. Don’t make me _watch_ him put his hands on you and know that I can’t help you.” Vergil slowly wraps his arms around Dante in a gentle hug, pulling him into him and Dante goes easily, letting his arms fall and cling to his brother.

“Forgive me Dante. I didn’t realize the effects that my actions might have taken on you.” He whispers as he lightly runs his fingers through Dante’s hair. “I can’t promise to never make a choice that I think will protect you, even to the cost of myself; but I will promise to be much more sparing with them.” Dante takes a moment before he pushes back a little, lifting his head to look at his twin.

“Kat’s right.” He says and he’s entertained slightly by the confused yet amused look that crosses Vergil’s face. “You need to value your life more.”

“Dante-”

“If you ever make a choice to risk yourself for me, I will make you regret it Vergil.” Dante promises him. “If you ever think that something that demands your life as the price for it seems legit, you better _pray_ that I’m already dead so that I never find out. Your life is worth everything to me.”

“Our mission-”

“Our mission is to be standing victorious at the end of it all. To stand over Mundus’s corpse and spit on it while he rots.”

“Dante.” Vergil says with the softest and saddest of smiles. “You know that our battle doesn’t end with Mundus, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“Mundus is a king of hell.” Vergil replies. “All kings have dukes and generals and pawns. Even if he falls, all that will happen is our parents will be avenged and a throne will be left empty for someone to rush to claim it. How do you think the most obvious way to prove their worth to have it will be?” Dante doesn’t answer and Vergil meets his eyes. “It’ll be to kill us. The Nephilim sons of Sparda who killed the previous king. Nothing else will unite demons under their banner faster than our heads on their spikes.”

“So you’re saying there’s no end to this?” Dante demands and Vergil looks infinitely sadder.

“We are alone in the world Dante. Just you and me against all others. Abominations made flesh. Many will storm the castle to challenge and to kill us. That is just our lot for being born as we are.” He reaches up and brushes the side of Dante’s face. “Maybe we’ll find a way to contain the violence, to control the forces that wish to harm us; but our lives will always be marked by it. Drenched in it and formed by it. We must learn to be strong, and be willing to do anything or we will fall. There is no other way.”

“I’m all for being strong, and for kicking anyone’s ass who comes against us Vergil. I’m all for you and me, against heaven and hell and whoever the fuck else wants a piece of us.” Dante says and Vergil smiles a little at the statement. “But only if it’s _us_ at the end of the day. If you go Vergil, know that I go too.”

“No Dante.” Vergil says, his eyes widening in understanding of what Dante is pledging. “No.”

“I won’t live in a world without you again. Been there and done that, it’s crap. It’s worse than death, and that was when I didn’t even remember what I’d lost. Now? Now you may as well just kill me too because I won’t be halved again. I’ll follow you in death even if I have to do it myself. Know that.”

“Dante.” Vergil says urgently, his hands coming up to cup Dante’s face and Dante returns his earlier, tired smile. “No. Don’t make a promise like that.”

“Then don’t throw your own life away so easily. If I’m worth so much to you, then you’re going to have to learn to be more careful because I’ll do it Verg. I’ll do it with a smile because I’ll know I’m following you wherever you went.”

“You’re worth everything to me.”

“Ditto.” Dante says. “So deal with it bro. But that's shit for another day. If you lock me in a room again…” He reaches up to grasp gently at Vergil’s hands. “Whether or not anything happens to you during it…” He slowly pushes them up against the wall on either side of Vergil’s head and holds them there firmly. “I’ll make you regret it, little brother.”

“I didn’t want to upset you Dante.”

“I wasn’t ‘upset’ Verg, I was pissed.” Dante’s voice is a soft whisper. “And know that when we kill Mundus, I’m going to rip off his arms for daring to touch you.” He leans forward, barely watching how Vergil watches him approach. “Hell…I might rip apart anyone who ever dares to touch you…” He’s close enough now that the words leaving his lips let them brush against Vergil’s. “Got it?” Vergil’s next breath is uneven.

“…yes.” He whispers back and Dante almost fully presses against that tempting mouth but he pulls away at the last moment, leaving Vergil staring at him.

The grin Dante gives him is a little more unhinged then he thinks he means to give. Or who knows, maybe its exactly the amount he intends. Either way, he’s sure Vergil gets the message.


End file.
